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Limiting pre-bedtime screen/digital exposure could improve sleep quality and attention in early childhood, promoting pediatric care and enhancing early development.
A UK-based randomized clinical trial has emphasized on the probable benefits of removing screen time before bedtime for toddlers. The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, supported pediatric guidelines, demonstrating that the intervention called PASTI (Parent-Administered Screen Time Intervention) was not only practical but also offered modest preliminary advantages for toddler sleep.
Hannah Pickard et al. aimed to assess two main objectives: (1) the practicality of implementing the PASTI program over 7 weeks, where caregivers remove screen time before bed and engage toddlers in activities like reading or puzzles, and (2) the possible impact of PASTI on the toddlers' sleep and attention. Included were the families with toddlers (aged 16 to 30 months) who typically had roughly 10 minutes of screen use for a minimum of 3 days a week. They were randomized into 3 groups:
Out of the originally screened 427 families, 164 met the eligibility criteria (38.4%), and 105 families were randomized into the trial. The average age of the young ones was 23.7 months, with 57% being male. Remarkably, the study showed the intervention to be highly feasible, with a 99% retention rate (104/105 families completed the study). Also, 94% of families adhered to the PASTI protocol, following the guidelines to remove screen time before bed.
Compared to the NI (Cohen d = -0.96) and BB-only group (Cohen d = -0.65), PASTI led to a noteworthy decrease in parent-reported screen time. When it came to sleep, the PASTI group demonstrated small to medium improvements in sleep efficiency, as estimated objectively by actigraphy, compared to the other two groups. PASTI was also associated with fewer night awakenings and reduced daytime sleep compared to the NI group, though no substantial difference was observed between PASTI and the BB-only group in these measures. Removing bedtime screen time improves toddler sleep, but more research is needed on its impact on attention, as concluded.
JAMA Pediatrics
Toddler Screen Use Before Bed and Its Effect on Sleep and Attention: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Hannah Pickard et al.
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